Three Rivers seeking a levy renewal

Oct. 18, 2013

Bohannon

Written by

Wagner

CLEVES — Voters in the Three Rivers Local School District have a tax levy to decide when they visit the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The school district is requesting the renewal of a 4.95-mill operating levy. District residents first approved the levy in 2005, and renewed it in 2008 and 2011.

If renewed this fall, Three Rivers Superintendent Rhonda Bohannon said it will be renewed as a continuing levy, which means voters will not have to approve the levy every three years as they have in the past.

She said the district is asking voters to renew the levy as a continuing levy because it will provide more financial stability for the district as it plans for five-year forecasting.

“A renewal or continuing renewal as this could be referred to, will maintain the current level of funding,” Bohannon said.

“The renewal will allow the district to maintain its current level of services, maintain current programs, keep elementary class sizes between 25 to 30 (students) and secondary classes between 25 to 35.”

The levy generates roughly $1.8 million annually for the school district. It costs the owner of a home worth $100,000 about $145 per year in property taxes.

Three Rivers Board of Education President Tim Wagner said the levy will not raise taxes for district residents.

“We’re asking to maintain what we’re currently operating on,” he said.

The district has lost $2 million in state funding since 2010 due to the elimination of the tangible personal property tax reimbursement, and an additional $1.2 million because of the elimination of the energy deregulation reimbursement, he said.

Bohannon said it’s estimated the district’s revenue will be an additional $2 million less in 2016 due to state cuts.

“We have made reductions and reduced spending to make the budget work,” she said. “There has been fiscal responsibility in the district.”

Wagner said Three Rivers has consolidated services, increased class sizes, cut teachers, staff and administrators and implemented shared services with other districts to reduce costs.

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The district is now spending $2 million less than it did 10 years ago, he said.

“We have proven to the community we have been good stewards of this money, and we will continue to be in the future,” he said.

Despite the cuts, he and Bohannon said the district has been able to provide students a quality education. Three Rivers was rated Excellent with Distinction twice, and on the most recent state report card the district received A’s in two of the three categories.

The district’s new school building, which will also help Three Rivers reduce costs and has helped enrollment increase, is making the community a desirable place and is expected to boost property values in the district, Bohannon said.

The new school is being paid for by a separate bond levy, and she said money from the bond proceeds can only be used to pay off the mortgage on the school.

“We hope that every community member is proud of the new school, the academic ranking of the district and the ongoing financial management that has allowed the district to operate with $2 million of less revenue,” she said.